HOUSE OF GLORY
HOUR OF IMPACT!
Topic: DEPRESSION! (Gal. 3:13) (1)
Introduction: Sooner or later most of us experience some form of depression. It can descend slowly, like the coming of an evening rain. It can overwhelm like an avalanche of darkness. It can be the result of a real situation of failure or loss, or it can invade our minds for no discernable reason.
The Bible includes characters that experienced depression of all kinds, and parts of Scripture were written by people in the midst of feelings much like depression. The good news is that God does not regard depression as sin but rather responds to those who suffer its darkness with great tenderness, understanding, and compassion.
Question: Do you go to bed sad and wake up sad? If the answer is yes, then know that you are going through depression.
Questions and Discussions!
1. What is DEPRESSION? Depression is an emotional problem, just as anger, and anxiety.
a) Depression is the result of external pressures getting into your heart [mind] and weighing you down. Therefore, avoid internalizing external pressures such as the things that people say about you. When people talk ill about you, juts say, “I don’t care! I cast all my cares, worries, and anxieties on God!” This will open the door for God to care for you.
In 1 Peter 5:7 Jesus said, “Casting all your care upon Him; for He careth for you.”
b) Depression is stress and pressure internalized. It is a thought that you have bottled up in your heart weighing you down because you are thinking about it too much. You have used that situation to fill your heart. You are obsessed by the situation. You have made the situation the object of your thoughts. Negative situation will generate negative feelings which will lead to depression.
c) Depression is the product of the feelings that come from thinking thoughts that weigh you down. Look at how the chart flows:
WORDS àThoughts à Feelings à Desire à Decision à Action à Habits à Character à Destination (Where you are right now).
Therefore, if you want to be free from depression, you MUST change the way you think because changing the way you think will change the way you feel.
To change your thoughts you must change the words you hear, the things you see, and the things you say.
Depression is a dis-ease that will start disease in your body. If you get the joy of the Lord emotionally, that joy will also manifest in your body – your looks.
Question: What are you exposed to? What are those external things that surround you that can get into your mind and weigh you down?
Victory over depression is purely based on renewing your mind with the Word of God [what God has promised in His Word concerning your situation. For instance, if your children are misbehaving and it appears there is no hope, just meditate on what God has promised concerning the seed of the righteous:
In Proverbs 11:21 God said, “Though hand join in hand, the wicked shall not be unpunished: but the seed of the righteous shall be delivered.”
In Job 5:25 God said, “Thou shalt know also that THY SEED SHALL BE GREAT, and thine offspring as the grass of the earth.”
2. What are the symptoms of depression?
a) Reclusiveness or withdrawing from reality. God did not want man to withdraw from reality (Gen 2:18; Prov. 18:22). God made a woman so that a man and his wife will be together.
Reclusiveness is dangerous because it makes you a lone ranger and an anti-social. You can become someone who likes dogs and cats more than human beings. A dog cannot replace a human being in your life.
Why? A fellow human being can share intellect, joy, and love with you. It is not meant for a dog to replace humans. The dog can’t share such with you because he has no intellect.
b) A passive mind. Or matters of life are so unimportant to you. Here things that used to matter to you don’t any more. Things that used to irritate you don’t any more. You have an “I don’t care attitude!” You should tell your mind what to think by renewing your mind with God’s Word.
c) Magnifying difficulties or conditions. This means turning a condition into a problem. You turn a molehill into a mountain. You begin to say that people don’t shake your hands in church.
d) Lack of concentration. You have a wandering mind. Realize that you are capable of thinking anything you desire. You have authority over your mind. And you have a sound mind if you have properly renewed your mind with the Word of God (2 Tim. 1:7).
3. What are the effects of long-term depression? Depression is an enemy. Being depressed over a long period can cause:
a) Physical illness. Emotional dis-ease will cause a physical dis-ease.
b) Guilt. Regretting the past. Have you ever had a guilty feeling about something? Perhaps you did something wrong and you felt guilty about it.
Perhaps you have magnified the feeling of guilt beyond the “wrongness” of the act that precipitated the guilty feeling. Or perhaps you feel justly guilty for a sin, and you don’t know what to do about it. The best way to relieve justifiable guilt is to confess the sin to God and ask Him to forgive you.
If the sin is against another person, confess the sin to that person and ask that person to forgive you. Forgiveness is the only cleansing agent that can remove both guilt and a guilty feeling about a sin.
In what ways are we guilty?
a) The magnitude of guilt may change with the magnitude of sin, but the presence of guilt is as sure with a “little sin” as with a “big sin.”
Romans 3:23 . . . All have sinned; all fall short of God’s glorious ideal.
James 2:10 . . . The person who keeps all of the laws except one is as guilty as the person who has broken all of God’s laws.
b) Sin is not only doing wrong things, but not doing right things.
James 4:17 . . . Remember, it is sin to know what you ought to do and then not do it.
c) The absence of a guilty conscience doesn’t always mean you are doing right.
Jonah 1:4-5 . . . All this time Jonah was sound asleep down in the hold.
How can I be freed from guilt?
a) By avoiding sin as much as possible and confessing any sin to God. Guilt is the consequence of wrongdoing.
Psalm 19:12-13 . . . Cleanse me from these hidden faults. Keep me from deliberate sins! Don’t let them control me. Then I will be free of guilt.
b) This is a wonderful example of the grace of God. All we have to do is accept God’s free gift of salvation. This means believing that God sent his Son, Jesus, to die for our sins so that we are no longer guilty for them (Acts 13:39).
Acts 13:39 . . . Everyone who believes in him is freed from all guilt and declared right with God.
c) We must be sincere in admitting guilt (Num. 14:39-45).
Numbers 14:39-45 . . . “We realize that we have sinned, but now we are ready to enter the land the Lord has promised us.” But Moses said . . . “It won’t work.”
d) There is a high cost to acknowledging guilt and admitting sin, but an even higher cost if we don’t (Jer. 3:13).
Jeremiah 3:13 . . . Only acknowledge your guilt. Admit that you rebelled against the Lord your God.
e) Job’s friends kept assuming he was guilty for some sin that caused his trouble. There are two lessons here:
(1) Sometimes we are not guilty of wrongdoing, but we feel guilty. We must learn to discern between true and false guilt.
(2) We can better deal with our own guilt if we develop an attitude of not assuming everyone else is guilty (Job 6:29).
Job 6:29 . . . “Stop assuming my guilt.”
f) Prayer and confession will free you from guilt. Don’t let guilty feelings over sin keep you from prayer, your only means of confessing to God and restoring your relationship with Him (1 Jn. 1:9).
1 John 1:9 . . . If we confess our sins to Him, he is faithful and just to forgive us and to cleanse us from every wrong.
You say that you committed fornication when you were 20 years old. But you are now 80 years and you are still condemning yourself. Stop condemning yourself because of past mistakes. Just forgive yourself and move on (Phil 3:10; Rom 8:1-2).
3) Depression causes jealousy and hostility. Depressed people can always make you feel bad about nothing.
Memory Verse: . . . “Come to Me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest” (Matt 11:28).
- Your friend, I. I. MADUBUNYI (Head Pastor) April 27, 2024 @ HQs.
HOUSE OF GLORY
HOUR OF IMPACT!
Topic: DEPRESSION! (Gal. 3:13) (2)
2. What is the root of depression?
Depression is part of the curse but Jesus has purchased our freedom. The root of depression is negative emotions (Gen. 3:1-19).
Genesis 3:14-19 says, “And the Lord God said unto the serpent, Because thou hast done this, thou art cursed above all cattle, and above every beast of the field; upon thy belly shalt thou go, and dust shalt thou eat all the days of thy life:
15 And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel.
16 Unto the woman he said, I will greatly multiply thy sorrow and thy conception; in sorrow thou shalt bring forth children; and thy desire shall be to thy husband, and he shall rule over thee.
17 And unto Adam he said, Because thou hast hearkened unto the voice of thy wife, and hast eaten of the tree, of which I commanded thee, saying, Thou shalt not eat of it: cursed is the ground for thy sake; in sorrow shalt thou eat of it all the days of thy life;
18 Thorns also and thistles shall it bring forth to thee; and thou shalt eat the herb of the field;
19 In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread, till thou return unto the ground; for out of it wast thou taken: for dust thou art, and unto dust shalt thou return.”
Adam and Eve allowed their negative emotions to move them away from the perfect will of God [the Word of God]. They allowed their negative emotions to rule them, instead of the Word of God. That was the sin that took place in the Garden of Eden that separated them from God and His provisions.
You must never allow your emotions to take you away from the will of God. This is why renewing your mind continuously with the Word of God is a MUST for you.
a) If you depart from the Lord, and then he departs from you, depression can move easily into the vacant room in your heart.
1 Samuel 16:14 . . . Now the Spirit of the Lord had left Saul, and the Lord sent a tormenting spirit that filled him with depression and fear.
b) A broken heart is ripe for depression.
Job 30:16 . . . My heart is broken. Depression haunts my days.
c) If you spend your life pursuing meaningless things, you are bound to get depressed as you realize that what you are doing is having little lasting value.
Ecclesiastes 4:8 . . . This is the case of a man who is all alone, without a child or a brother, yet who works hard to gain as much wealth as he can. But then he asks himself, “Who am I working for? Why am I giving up so much pleasure now?” It is all so meaningless and depressing.
d) Depression likes to keep company with trouble, sorrow, and shame.
Jeremiah 20:14, 18 . . . I curse the day I was born! May the day of my birth not be blessed. Why was I ever born? My entire life has been filled with trouble, sorrow, and shame.
e) A heart without hope is a heart ripe for depression.
Proverbs 13:12 . . . Hope deferred makes the heart sick, but when dreams come true, there is life and joy.
3. Sometimes when I feel depressed it seems God doesn’t care.
a) There is no depth to which we can descend that God is not present with us. When depression comes, we must remember that even though we cannot see or feel his presence, he has not abandoned us.
Psalm 139:1-12 . . . Even in darkness I cannot hide from you.
b) We can cry out to God in prayer even from the darkest night of despair. He will hear us.
Psalm 130:1-8 . . . From the depths of despair, O Lord, I call for your help.
c) We know that through Christ God understands the pain of human life.
Isaiah 53:3 . . . He was despised and rejected-a man of sorrows, acquainted with bitterest grief.
d) Jesus cares deeply for the weary and provides acceptance, love, and rest.
Matthew 11:28-30 . . . Jesus said, “Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest.”
e) Not even life’s worst depression can separate us from the love of Christ.
Romans 8:39 . . . Nothing in all creation will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is revealed in Christ Jesus our Lord.
4. How should I handle depression?
The Lord’s strong presence in our lives is the best cure for depression.
Psalm 143:7 . . . Come quickly, Lord, and answer me, for my depression deepens. Don’t turn away from me, or I will die.
5. How does God bring healing to those who are depressed?
The power of the Lord’s presence, coupled with the sensitivity of his listening ear, can bring healing and comfort.
Psalm 10:17 . . . Lord, you know the hopes of the helpless. Surely you will listen to their cries and comfort them.
Psalm 23:4 . . . Even when I walk through the dark valley of death, I will not be afraid, for you are close beside me. Your rod and your staff protect and comfort me.
Psalm 34:18 . . . The Lord is close to the broken-hearted; He rescues those who are crushed in spirit.
Psalm 147:3 . . . He heals the broken-hearted, binding up their wounds.
Matthew 5:4 . . . God blesses those who mourn, for they will be comforted.
6. Can any good come out of depression?
When we are weak we may be more receptive to the Lord’s strength. When God works through our weakness we know it is His work and not ours.
Psalm 126:5 . . . Those who plant in tears will harvest with shouts of joy.
Nehemiah 8:10 . . . Don’t be dejected and sad, for the joy of the Lord is your strength!
2 Corinthians 12:9 . . . My power works best in your weakness.
7. How can I help someone who is depressed?
2 Corinthians 1:4 . . . He comforts us in all our troubles so that we can comfort others. When others are troubled, we will be able to give them the same comfort God has given us.
Romans 12:15 . . . When others are happy, be happy with them. If they are sad, share their sorrow.
Proverbs 25:20 . . . Singing cheerful songs to a person whose heart is heavy is as bad as stealing someone’s jacket in cold weather or rubbing salt in a wound.
8. Are feelings of depression sin?
a) The flames of moral outrage at the presence of terrible sin can leave the ashes of depression.
Isaiah 24:16 . . . Listen to them as they sing to the Lord from the ends of the earth. Hear them singing praises to the Righteous One! But my heart is heavy with grief. I am discouraged, for evil still prevails, and treachery is everywhere.
b) In the very process of redemption Jesus felt deeply troubled, or quite “low.” It is natural to feel low in the backwash of troubled times. Since Jesus cannot sin, to feel low or depressed cannot be a sin. It can be a result of sin, or become a sin if we blame God, use it against God, or leave God out of our antidote.
John 11:33 . . . When Jesus saw her weeping and saw the other people wailing with her, he was moved with indignation and was deeply troubled.
John 12:27 . . . Now my soul is deeply troubled. Should I pray, ‘Father, save me from what lies ahead’? But that is the very reason why I came!
9. Does feeling depressed mean something is wrong with my faith?
a) Even for the people of God, depression can often follow great achievement or spiritual victory.
Judges 15:18 . . . Now Samson was very thirsty, and he cried out to the Lord, “You have accomplished this great victory . . . Must I now die of thirst?”
1 Kings 19:3-4 . . . Elijah was afraid and fled for his life . . . He sat down under a solitary broom tree and prayed that he might die.
b) God is able to lift us out of the pit of depression and fear.
Psalm 35:9 . . . I will be glad because he rescues me.
Psalm 40:1-3 . . . He lifted me out of the pit of despair.
Matthew 14:29-31 . . . When he looked around at the high waves, he was terrified and began to sink. “Save me, Lord!” he shouted. Instantly Jesus reached out his hand and grabbed him.
Memory Verse: . . . “Come to Me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest” (Matt 11:28).
Promise from God: But even more blessed are all who hear the Word of God and put it into practice” (Lk. 11:28).
- Your friend, I. I. MADUBUNYI (Head Pastor) April 27, 2024 @ HQs.
HOUSE OF GLORY
HOUR OF IMPACT!
Topic: DEPRESSION! (Gal 3:13) (3)
3. What are some common causes of depression? (Judg. 15:1-20)
a) Depression often follows exhaustion. Samson was physically and emotionally exhausted. After a great personal victory, his attitude declined quickly into self-pity-"Must I now die of thirst?”
Emotionally, we are most vulnerable after a great effort or when faced with real physical needs. Severe depression often follows great achievements, so don’t be surprised if you feel drained after a personal victory.
During these times of vulnerability, avoid the temptation to think that God owes you for your efforts. It was His strength that gave you victory. Concentrate on keeping your attitudes, actions, and words focused on God instead of yourself (1 Ki 19:1-9).
KEY BIBLE VERSE: Elijah was afraid and fled for his life. He went to Beersheba, a town in Judah, and he left his servant there. Then he went on alone into the desert, travelling all day. He sat down under a solitary broom tree and prayed that he might die. “I have had enough, LORD,” he said. “Take my life, for I am no better than my ancestors.” (1 Kings 19:3-4)
b) Depression sometimes follows great success.
Elijah experienced the depths of fatigue and discouragement just after his two great spiritual victories: the defeat of the prophets of Baal and the answered prayer for rain. Often discouragement sets in after great spiritual experiences, especially those requiring physical effort or involving great emotion. To lead him out of depression, God first let Elijah rest and eat.
Then God confronted him with the need to return to his mission-to speak God’s words in Israel. Elijah’s battles were not over; there was still work for him to do. When you feel let down after a great spiritual experience, remember that God’s purpose for your life is not yet over.
c) Sorrow. Most depressed people have experienced something that brought sorrow to their lives. Losing a loved one causes sorrow. When you sorrow, you open the door for the spirit of depression to come in and torment you.
One of the great common denominators of human experience is sorrow. Guaranteed! From the loss of a pet in childhood, to the loss of a childhood through abuse or neglect; from a child losing a parent, to a parent losing a child; sorrow is inevitable. From the predictable and necessary to the random and tragic-the losses of life drape the hallways of our years.
The Bible acknowledges that sorrow and grief are part and parcel of human life, even for those who love God. But Scripture does not leave sorrow as the last word. God redeems our losses with His own promise of comfort and hope.
I have trouble reconciling the sorrow and grief of life with the love of God. Is God concerned about our pain?
a) Through the pain and sorrow of Christ’s experiences on earth, God has experienced the depths of human grief.
Isaiah 53:3 . . . He was despised and rejected-a man of sorrows.
b) The tears of Jesus demonstrate that great grief is the result of great love.
John 11:35-36 . . . Then Jesus wept. The people who were standing nearby said, “See how much he loved him.”
c) Jesus grieves when those he loves do not respond to his offer of salvation.
Luke 19:41-44 . . . As they came closer to Jerusalem and Jesus saw the city ahead, he began to cry.
d) God cares not only about our eternal future, but also about our present troubles.
1 Peter 5:7 . . . Give all your worries and cares to God, for he cares about what happens to you.
Faith does not prevent the experience of deep sadness.
a) King David’s reaction to the loss of his son was a classic response of grief.
2 Samuel 18:32-33 . . . My son, my son Absalom! If only I could have died instead of you!
b) The anticipated suffering that was to come on the cross brought Jesus great sorrow and pain.
Mark 14:32-36 . . . He told them, “My soul is crushed with grief to the point of death.”
c) Even having been promised that Jesus would rise from the dead, the disciples still grieved his death.
Matthew 17:22-23 . . . The disciples’ hearts were filled with grief.
The believer’s sorrow is filled with hope.
a) God promises to relieve our weeping and replace it with His joy.
Psalm 30:5 . . . Weeping may go on all night, but joy comes with the morning.
John 16:20 . . . You will grieve, but your grief will suddenly turn to wonderful joy when you see me again.
Revelation 21:4 . . . He will remove all of their sorrows, and there will be no more death or sorrow or crying or pain.
b) The believer’s grief is filled with hope through the promise of heaven.
1 Thessalonians 4:13 . . . I want you to know what will happen to the Christians who have died so you will not be full of sorrow like people who have no hope.
The experience of sorrow deepens the believer’s compassion for others.
Those who have received the comfort of Christ in the midst of grief become a comforting presence to others.
Romans 12:15 . . . If they are sad, share their sorrow.
2 Corinthians 1:3-7 . . . He comforts us in all our troubles so that we can comfort others.
At times my sorrow is so deep I don’t even know what or how to pray.
Romans 8:26-27 . . . The Holy Spirit prays for us with groanings that cannot be expressed in words.
d) Disappointment. Unfulfilled expectations cause depression! You expected something to happen in a particular way, and it did not happen that way.
What is disappointment? Disappointment is a feeling of being let down; a feeling of sadness or frustration because something was not as good, attractive, or satisfactory as expected, or because something hoped for did not happen. It is a frustration of somebody’s hopes or wishes that was not fulfilled.
How should one deal with disappointments in life?
1. In your disappointment, draw toward God, not away from Him (Psalm 63:1).
2. Listen to the Lord and trust him, even when it seems unreasonable (Luke 5:4-5).
3. Accept God’s ability to still bring good out of your disappointment (Romans 8:28).
Is there a way to avoid or minimize disappointment?
1. Put God first (Haggai 1:6, 9).
2. Put your faith, trust, and expectations in the Lord (Psalm 34:2; 1 Pet 2:6; Psalm 22:5).
3. Maintain the joy of doing God’s good work (Gal 6:9).
4. To live the great adventure of life, you must accept the risks that come with the adventure (Ecc 10:8-9).
5. Do what is right and the satisfaction of a job well done will minimize disappointment (Gal 6:4).
e) Rejection: Feelings of not being accepted. This is also the result of your trying to find significance. You just want to know your worth. Let your self-worth be based on the Word of God. Self-worth is not a sum total of your accomplishments or what people say about you.
What does it mean to reject? To reject is to discard something or someone as unwanted or defective. When a person is rejected, great pain is often the result. A fiancé is rejected when the engagement is broken; a student is rejected by his or her peer group; a child is rejected by a parent-in each case the consequences are devastating.
How can I recover from rejection in my life?
a) As the prophet looks forward to the Messiah, who would be despised and rejected by others, we know we have a Savior who understands.
Isaiah 53:1-12 . . . He was despised and rejected . . . We turned our backs on him.
b) Don’t try to deal with rejection by yourself. Bring your concerns to God.
1 Peter 5:7 . . . Give all your worries and cares to God, for he cares about what happens to you.
c) Invite the Holy Spirit into your life. Jesus promised the Holy Spirit would stay with us forever.
John 14:15-26 . . . When the Father sends the Counselor as my representative-and by the Counselor I mean the Holy Spirit-he will teach you everything and will remind you of everything I myself have told you.
d) Remember that, though others may reject us, nothing can separate us from God’s love! (Rom 8:38)
Will God ever reject me?
a) Jesus did not reject the sinful Samaritan woman, but rather offered her living water (Jn. 4:1-26).
b) God rejects the sin without rejecting the sinner (Jn. 8:1-11).
c) The Lord accepts all who come to him in faith (Jn. 6:37).
Memory Verse: . . . “Come to Me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest” (Matt 11:28).
- Your friend, I. I. MADUBUNYI (Head Pastor) April 27, 2024 @ HQs.
HOUSE OF GLORY
HOUR OF IMPACT!
Topic: OVERCOMING DEPRESSION! (Gal. 3:13) (4)
4. How should we respond when we feel rejected? (Job 13:1-28)
a) Remember that God’s silence does not mean rejection. Job was especially upset because God was silent, giving no reasons for his suffering. Job misinterpreted God’s silence as rejection, and once again he said that it was not his suffering that bothered him as much as this apparent rejection. If God had given reasons, however, Job’s faith would probably not have been stretched and strengthened (Mk 6:1-13).
b) Remember that God’s servants often experience rejection. Jesus said that a prophet (in other words, a worker for God) is never honored in his hometown. But that doesn’t make his work any less important. A person doesn’t need to be respected or honored to be useful to God. If friends, neighbors, or family don’t respect your Christian work, don’t let their rejection keep you from serving God.
c) Remember to encourage one another in times of rejection. The disciples were sent out in pairs. Individually they could have reached more areas of the country, but this was not Christ’s plan. One advantage in going out by twos was that they could strengthen and encourage each other, especially when they faced rejection. Our strength comes from God, but he meets many of our needs through our teamwork with others. As you serve Christ, don’t try to go it alone.
What are some biblical cures for common depression? [Overcoming Depression!]
BIBLE READING: Psalm 42:1-11
KEY BIBLE VERSE: Why am I discouraged? Why so sad? I will put my hope in God! I will praise him again-my Saviour and my God! Now I am deeply discouraged, but I will remember your kindness-from Mount Hermon, the source of the Jordan, from the land of Mount Mizar (Ps. 42:5-6)
a) Watch over your heart. It is your responsibility not to allow your heart [mind] to be troubled. So, you must accept the responsibility of watching over your heart (Prov. 4:23).
In John 14:1 Jesus said, “Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in Me.”
“Let not” implies that you have control over your heart. You can control whether to be troubled or not.
You will be troubled or not troubled based on what you believe. The way you think will determine the way you believe and what you believe will determine what you’ll confess through your mouth because out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks. What you believe is determined by what you think. What you think is determined by what you fed your mind with. If you fed it with the Word of God, you will think correctly and you will believe correctly because right thinking will produce right believing and right believing will produce right confession.
You may not always be in control of the circumstances surrounding you, but you can always be in control of your heart [mind]. You can decide not to allow negative circumstances into your heart. If you allow the pressures outside you to get into your mind, it will produce the harvest called depression.
“believe in God “ means “believe in the Word of God.” When you believe in what God has said about that situation that is causing you to be depressed, depression will lose its grip over your mind. Depression can’t stay in your life if you are holding strong to God’s Word.
In Proverbs 4:20-24 God said, “My son, attend to My Words [why? Because it will determine the way you think]; incline thine ear unto My sayings.
21 Let them not depart from thine eyes; keep them in the midst of thine heart.
22 For they are (1) life unto those that find them, and (2) healing and health to all their flesh.
23 Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life.
24 Put away from thee a froward mouth, and perverse lips put far from thee.”
If the things that weigh you down get into your mind it will cause dis-ease to your physical body. It is the emotional disease that manifests on the outside as a physical dis-ease.
b) Speak to your problem, rather than speaking about your problem. Speak to your mountains, and not about your mountain. This is essentially a one-way conversation.
In Mark 11:23 Jesus said, “...whosoever shall say unto this mountain, Be thou removed, and be thou cast into the sea; and shall not doubt in his heart, but shall believe that those things which he saith shall come to pass; he shall have whatsoever he saith.”
When you keep talking about your problem, you are rehearsing it and the result is that it will eventually get into your heart and weigh you down. Stop nursing that problem. Forget it and stop talking about it. Rather talk to it by confessing what God said about it in the Scriptures. When you stop talking about it, you disperse it and it will not have the chance to enter into your mind to weigh you down.
c) If something or someone is missing in your life, ask God for it. You say, “I am waiting for a husband.” Have you asked God for one?
In John 16:23-24 Jesus said, “And in that day ye shall ask Me nothing. Verily, verily, I say unto you, Whatsoever ye shall ask the Father in My name, He will give it you.
24 Hitherto have ye asked nothing in My name: ask, and ye shall receive, that your joy may be full.”
In John 14:13-14 Jesus said, “And whatsoever ye shall ask in My name, that will I do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. 14 If ye shall ask any thing in My name, I will do it.”
1 John 5:14-15 says, “And this is the confidence that we have in Him, that, if we ask any thing according to His will, he heareth us:
15 And if we know that He hear us, whatsoever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we desired of Him.”
d) Praise, worship and thanksgiving will knock out the spirit of depression from your life. Your problem will get lost in the midst of thanksgiving. Praise rebukes the spirit of depression. You can’t stay depressed in an atmosphere of praise and worship.
Example is the case of one of the lepers that Jesus healed. One came back with thanksgiving.
Thanksgiving causes anything that is missing or broken in your life to be restored.
Abram gave thanks to God (Gen 18) and that caused an Isaac to be born.
What is it in our lives that we want to be born that is not born yet? Then thank Him.
Thank Him for making a master piece out of a mess like me. Thank Him because all things are working together for your good no matter what. God is behind any good thing that happened to you.
e) Depression can be relieved by meditating on God’s Word. Depression is one of the most common emotional ailments. One antidote for depression is to meditate on the record of God’s goodness to His people. This will take your mind off the present situation and give you hope that it will improve. It will focus your thoughts on God’s ability to help you rather than on your inability to help yourself. When you feel depressed, take advantage of this psalm’s antidepressant. Read the Bible’s accounts of God’s goodness and meditate on them.
f) Depression can be relieved by patience. Later in this psalm, the writer tells his own soul to be patient. There are plenty of reasons from the past to trust God. In spite of the discouragement of the moment, the author is convinced that God has plans for tomorrow that are better. That fact may not make the darkness bright, but it may make it more bearable until the morning.
g) Depression can be relieved by expecting God to act. The psalmist confidently closes this song with a statement of hope in the midst of difficult emotions. He may not feel like it, but he knows that he will again have plenty of reason to praise him for all that he will do (Ps 42:11).
Memory Verse: . . . “Come to Me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest” (Matt 11:28).
- Your friend, I. I. MADUBUNYI (Head Pastor) April 27, 2024 @ HQs.
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